While You Were Here
by 3Point14
Summary: Developing feeling for your mentor is always a given, but romantic feelings can make life difficult. What happens when a young Dick Grayson finds himself infatuated with his own Guardian? Is this a story of a simple crush or a much deeper Love? More importantly, What will Bruce Wayne do when confronted with a suddenly very hormonal teenager?


Batman: While You Were Here

Chapter 1: What's Eating Dick

7 Days 5 Hrs. 15 Min. before Meltdown…

Dick Grayson had always been different, different from his classmates at Wayne Academy for sure. Of course there was the obvious difference of being a Circus boy taken in by the famous Bruce Wayne to be the man's young ward. The Press had a field day with that one. He was smarter than most of the boys at Wayne Academy, more athletic too. Those weren't the differences he was concerned with. It wasn't even the fact that he was the Mysterious Boy Wonder: Robin (side kick to Batman) by night. Boy was that crazy enough as it was. No, the difference between him and all the other boys at Wayne Academy was that he was not looking forward to the School Formal one bit.

The Teachers had been preparing all the young men (as that is what they were now, no longer boys) for the Ball. Teaching them the civilized and gentlemanly ways to ask the girl they liked to the dance. Some of the teens had already snagged dates while others claimed they wanted to go stag (though this was looked down upon by the snooty teachers). It wasn't as if he didn't want to go or that he couldn't find a date. No, it was a problem that had nothing to do with the actual Ball and everything to do with the fact that it unearthed feelings deep inside himself.

Feelings he didn't know he had.

So now, as Dick Grayson sat at the table eating breakfast with Bruce on a Monday Morning, he couldn't help but fidget. Of course, Alfred would notice.

"Is there something the matter with the porridge this morning Master Dick?" Alfred Suddenly said breaking the silence in the room.

Bruce looked up from his paper with an eyebrow raised in question. Even as Bruce Wayne, he was silent most of the time.

Dick blushed under the scrutinizing gaze of both his Butler and Father figure. "I'm just… not that hungry."

Alfred looked at him curiously, "Perhaps there is something else I could whip up for the young Master? Bacon and Toast Perhaps?"

"No, No Alfred!" He said waving his hands "It's not the food's fault."

There was a silence for a moment as Dick looked down at his porridge. He took a calming breathe before looking up to Bruce. He had hoped that the man would have gone back to his reading, but it seemed he wouldn't be that lucky today.

"Is there something bothering you Dick?" Bruce asked with a kind voice. A voice only ever reserved for their Mentor/Ward bonding moments.

The boy blushed, "No. I just…"

"Ah!" Alfred said suddenly "It couldn't perhaps be the Winter Formal Ball Next week at Wayne Academy could it?"

Dick's entire face went red.

Bruce laughed. Actually laughed! Before hiding behind his Newspaper again. "I remember my first Winter Formal."

"Will you be asking some lovely young lady to the dance?" Alfred asked cheerily, "I could have some Roses from the Greenhouse gathered if-"

"No!" Dick shouted before putting his hand over his mouth quickly. He hadn't meant to sound so distraught. Now Bruce was looking at him from around his paper again. Dick ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, no thank you Alfred. That won't be necessary."

"Oh?" Was the butler's only reply.

Dick sighed looking away from both of them, "I've actually, uh, Decided I don't really want to go."

The was a moment of silence once more as both Alfred and Bruce just stared at the Teen. Bruce cleared his throat after a moment before saying, "Is this because you don't have a date?"

Dick shook his head looking away again, "That's not the reason. I just don't want to go okay. Can we not talk about this anymore?"

"Sure, If that's what you want." Bruce nodded before retreating behind the newspaper again. "Of course, I would have liked to see you dancing with that nice blonde girl you're Always talking to."

Dick had started to retreat from the room when he turned sharply to face Bruce again. "What do you mean?"

Alfred turned to face Dick after pouring Bruce a cup of Coffee. "Why Master Dick, Did you not hear that Master Bruce will be chaperoning the event? It's been in all the papers."

Dick could honestly say that this was the first time he was hearing the news. It wasn't like he read the papers anymore. He was so tired of reading Headlines about Bruce's latest escapades. Not to mention all the times he'd seen his own name slandered in the paper. Headlines always tried to insinuate there was something 'untoward' (as Alfred would say) going on with the Young Wayne heir and the unfortunate Romani boy. The worst was when Vicki Vale tried to blather on about how Bruce Wayne had rescued Dick Grayson from such a detrimental environment as a Circus. Living with Gypsies and wild animals. Never having a stable home. He could think of so many things to tell her about a 'detrimental' lifestyle. Clenching his fists he closed his eyes to calm down. He let a sigh roll from his chest past his lips. There was no use getting worked up about Tabloid reporters and false news articles. Let Bruce worry about that.

"Well, I'm not going. Sorry Bruce." He said quickly before walking up to his room to retrieve his schoolbooks.

Bruce looked up to Alfred with a worried expression, "What has gotten into him?"

The old butler smiled ruefully, "It seems as though Young Master Dick has become a Teenager."

"A Teenager?" Bruce asked Confused. What did an odd mood have to do with being a Teenager?

"Yes, Mood swings and all. After all, the boy is sixteen. I hardly think there is a Teenager alive who wouldn't have felt embarrassed about his guardian chaperoning the Formal." The butler stated, "Even the famous Bruce Wayne."

The younger man's eyebrows knit together in thought. "Do you think he is embarrassed by me?"

"No, Master Bruce. I don't' think that is quite it." Alfred smiled, "How can one be embarrassed by the infamous Ladies man, heir to the Wayne estate, Bruce Wayne. I think there is another problem here entirely, but I've had my fair share of raising Teenagers. I'll leave this one to you."

Bruce watched in utter shock as the Butler cleared the table and left the Dining room. Leaving Bruce to ponder the old butler's words very carefully. He wouldn't be the world's greatest detective if he couldn't figure out what was bothering a Teenager.


End file.
